Your cost to achieve the next level of status is monetary and time. The question is whether you're paying or is it someone else, and is it really that valuable to you? Apart from slightly more frequent upgrades to C+, a few drink coupons, and some partner lounge access abroad, I don't see much more value in Gold than I did at Silver to divert that incremental spend from Chase Rewards (which are very useful with transfer partners) to DL Amex for SkyMiles (which are of little utility outside of Delta).

I'm dropping from Gold to Silver in '25 and have been a free agent for this year with no intention of reaching Gold. I've still mostly Delta but added healthy dose of WN and AA where scheduling or price made more sense. And that's 98% business travel on someone else's dime.

If you want Comfort or First Class, buy it.
If you want a cocktail on board, buy it.
If you want "free" checked bags, buy a Delta AMEX card.
If the color of the brag tag on your carry-on affects mood or feelings, seek help outside of FlyerTalk.