Terminal vs Instrumental Values

Ellie V
2 min readJan 6, 2021

Defining who you are based on your values.

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In both the professional and personal world, values shape how well we work and interact with those around us. It defines who we are and why we are working in the jobs we’re working and why we exist basically.

Terminal Values are our core values, our objective, and also the values we want to embody the most. They’re what we’re rooted in and striving towards on a daily basis. To me, these values define who I am and are fluid, and changing with the times and experiences but ultimately making me into a better person. An example is how we want our lives to be. Content? Comfortable? How do we see our worlds? With beauty? With cleanliness? For everyone this is different.

On the other hand, Instrumental Values are views used to achieve terminal values. These are rooted in our personalities and who we are. For example are you hardworking? Ambitious? openminded? These include being honest, sincere, ethical, and being ambitious, and many more, both positive and negative. Instrumental values deal with views on acceptable modes of conductor means of achieving the terminal values. These values are more focused on personality traits and character. Work culture can also have instrumental values.

Instrumental Values are therefore the medium of reaching Terminal Values

Taken from : https://www.iedunote.com/types-of-values

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Ellie V

part time matcha enthusiast, full time student. A human bean on this lil journey called life╰(◡‿◡✿╰)