A maxim is a slogan or a personal prescription for some generality of life; importantly, it does not have the same moral connotations as an aphorism. Maxims can be downright dangerous… aphorisms need be drawn from society somehow – they are known to people other than yourself, they are received wisdom. In contrast, one can have personal maxims; it’s fairly common nowadays for people to tattoo such on their bodies, things like “Faith and Family” in elaborate script to apparently remind them how to live. – StackExchange