“The Journey is the destination” is a popular saying and I believe it applies to gold making quite well, especially starting out. Obviously you need to define a destination you are working towards, but in terms of enjoyment you need to enjoy the journey.
The destination
I wrote about what I believe the destination is in one of my first posts on goblin mindset. The point of having a destination is to be able to set your direction when unforeseen stuff happens.
Ultimately though there is a disadvantage to just focusing on the destination. If you only focus on the end, then you will feel inadequate the majority of the time and then only feel enjoyment when you get to your goal.
Comparing yourselves to others
Comparing yourselves to others is a two-edged sword here. You could look to me or players who are even richer. This could motivate you to work towards the lofty highs of goldmaking, but it can also feel demotivating if you don’t feel like you are making progress.
Ultimately the only comparison that matters is yourself. You need to get better relative to the past version of you and you want to get richer relative to that same past version.
Focus on your actions and enjoying your journey
Ultimately the most productive way to succeed is to focus on what you are doing and enjoying the progress you are making. Others can be an inspiration, but always focus on what you can control and what you can improve.
There will always be someone farther ahead than you, so you will never truly “make it”. If you don’t enjoy the continuous grind of getting better and improving methods then the value is much lower, and you will be much less successful both in the long and short term.