I think Rumpel has an array of different reasons for creating the curse. To defeat Regina, to become someone else, to break his own curse, to find someone who he lost. God only knows how many reasons Rumpel has for creating the curse.
I think Rumpel has multiple reasons for doing anything. Such as when he traded the info about Snow’s whereabouts for Charming’s cloak. He primarily wanted it for Charming’s hair, but he probably wasn’t lying when he said his castle was drafty and that did look like a nice, warm cloak.