There's lots of non-standard things you can do in Elite Dangerous ....
Get all the permits
Visit all the tourist beacons
Do a Buckyball race or an 8WD race
Try to break the record for getting to Beagle Point (I think Malic_VR has it at about 4 hours)
Visit stations and systems named after people, for example Pratchett's Disc (Terry Pratchett) or stations and systems notable in Elite lore, such as Lave or Jacques station
Buy every rare good (and make the maximum profit)
And so on .... that's a few I could come up with in a few minutes, I am sure there's more if you put your mind to it. My point is, Elite Dangerous is not just pew-pew or grind grind grind.