What do nft holders actually want if you take free money out of the equation (real answers)?
Same as everyone else ... self actualization. and if done well, nfts can be a medium of coordination to move one closer to that goal in the case of an image or set of images that represents an idea that grants you greater proximity to other appreciators of those ideas.
The combination of your efforts and the amplification of your shared values (that you were only able to discover via your appreciation for a specific aesthetic) allow you to build things (actual or metaphysical) that are greater than something you could build by yourself.
Have fun with your friends on the internet.
And if the only thing you have in common with your friends is the appreciation for free money they may not be your friends, they may just be alive