While resolutions are more common at the start of the new year, I prefer setting broader goals in the way I aim to carry out my day-to-day life.

Reflecting on the past 12 months and truly putting thought in the ways you want to change or improve yourself in the future is an invaluable activity to do because there is much to be learned from our pasts.

The wisdom from others, however, has also proven to be helpful in shaping our identities and beliefs.

So take a moment and thumb through your favorite books in search of some quotes that resonate with the mindset and direction you want to proceed with in the coming year.

In the meantime, here are some of my favorite quotes to get you started:

"Aim above morality. Be not simply good, be good for something." -Henry David Thoreau

"Power is the ability to do good things for others." -Brooke Astor

"I know in my heart that man is good. That what is right will always eventually triumph. And there's purpose and worth to each and every life." -Ronald Reagan

"Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you." -Princess Diana

"My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style." -Maya Angelou

"Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple." -Dr. Seuss

" Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence." -Helen Keller

"Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground." -Theodore Roosevelt

"Surround yourself only with people who are going to lift you higher." -Oprah Winfrey

"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong." -Mahatma Gandhi

"Sometimes life is going to hit you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith." -Steve Jobs

"Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor." -Truman Capote

"If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it." -Margaret Fuller

"With the new day comes new strength and new thoughts." -Eleanor Roosevelt