The highest price is the ATH, so as long as bitcoin price continues to beat a new high then it is the ATH. Just like you it is better people don’t get to focus on the next all time but rather do your research to predict how high the market can go or if you can not do same research due to lack of knowledge, you might as well look at past history of the price of bitcoin and then accumulate. When it’s down to taking of profit, my advice is one should just set a price target that looks realistic for them and take profits there. Waiting for a certain high price could create a missed opportunity.
I will be confident to say most investors that took profit in the last bull run many of them didn’t take it at that $69k most would have taken their profits before then, which to me is still good rather than regretting not taking any at all due to waiting for ATH
We invest because of profits, so I think it's not bad to focus on the ATH. Also the research you are telling there, does not differ to it. Doing an overall research is good but if it's only about how high the market can go, that would be none-sense because there is no way to tell it.
Checking the price history is interesting. It can give us an idea about what BTC had achieved but again I won't use it like a pattern to tell the next move of BTC because I could be waiting in vain only. Apart from statistics, I think luck can also be applied here. If one is like that, their beliefs and solid patience can still get compensated which can also encourage them to do it again.