an end in itself
noun phraseDefinition of an end in itself
: something that one does because one wants to and not because it will help achieve or accomplish something else
She started exercising for her health, but she enjoyed it so much that exercising became an end in itself. For him, taking classes was an end in itself.
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“An end in itself.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/an%20end%20in%20itself. Accessed 6 May. 2021.
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