As someone else who has played MMOs since the beginning, I’m going to have to throw the BS flag on this. It might be true in your case, but for the most part MMO players grind to get cool looking items to show off in social hubs. They often claim to say they want the challenge but it’s easy to prove them liars. Just suggest that raids stop giving the best items in the game or that there should be an alternate way to get the same items. You’ll get the same replies “you just want free loot” and the more important “no one would do hard content if it didn’t give the best rewards”. This shows the truths, they aren’t doin it because they “enjoy the challenge”, they are doing it for the loot, and the gatekeeping of the loot away from those they deem unworthy.