I look at whether the project team is "actually working," sometimes I don't check the roadmap but look at how the treasury is spent for a more direct view.

The money is all spent on long-term locked-in consulting fees, repeatedly changing logos, outsourcing community operations, and so on, even if the milestones are written out extensively, it feels pretty hollow;
On the other hand, being able to see ongoing expenses like R&D, audits, and infrastructure makes me feel more at ease, even if progress is slower.

I have a compulsive disorder: every time they say "the next version is coming soon," I check the on-chain treasury flow and multi-signature signing frequency, compare it with Git updates/on-chain activity, and if there's a discrepancy, I reduce some holdings first—don't fight emotions head-on.
By the way, about the recent NFT royalty controversy... honestly, it's also about "where the money comes from and where it goes."
Secondary markets want liquidity, creators want sustainable income, and if the project team is serious about their work, they should at least clarify revenue sharing and budgets, instead of just posting posters.