Here's a perspective I like: consider the function $f:\Bbb R \to \Bbb C$ given by $f(t) = e^{it}$, and note that we can think of $\Bbb C$ as a two dimensional space (that is, $\Bbb C$ is isometric $\Bbb R^2$). Now, we note that if we apply the usual rules of calculus, we have
$$
\frac {df}{dt} = i\,e^{it}
$$
Now, let's split this function into its real and imaginary parts. That is, say that
$$
f(t) = f_R(t) + i f_I(t)
$$
where $f_R(t),f_I(t) \in \Bbb R$. Equivalently, we can think of $f(t) = (f_R(t),f_I(t))$ as tracing out a trajectory in $\Bbb R^2$. Along these lines, we have
$$
f'(t) = if(t) = i[f_R(t) + i f_I(t)] = -f_I(t) + if_R(t)
$$
Equivalently, we see that when we follow the trajectory of $f(t)$, its tangent vector points in the direction of $(-f_I(t),f_R(t))$.
Note: we are not assuming Euler's formula, which would tell us that $f_R(t) = \cos(t)$ and $f_I(t) = \sin(t)$.
Now, we use a handy fact:
For $\alpha: \Bbb R \to \Bbb R^2$, we have
$$
\frac{d}{dt}\|\alpha(t)\|^2 = \frac{d}{dt} \langle \alpha(t),\alpha(t) \rangle = 2 \langle \alpha'(t), \alpha(t) \rangle
$$
where $\langle \cdot,\cdot \rangle$ denotes the usual "dot product".
With that, we may now conclude that
$$
\frac {d}{dt} |f(t)|^2 = \langle (f_R(t),f_I(t)), (-f_I(t),if_R(t)) \rangle = 0
$$
That is: because $f'(t)$ points in a direction orthogonal to the position $f(t)$ (relative to the origin), the magnitude of $f(t)$ (i.e. its distance from the origin) remains constant.
Now, since $|f(0)| = |e^0| = 1$, we can conclude that for any $t$, $|f(t)| = 1$. That is, $f(t)$ traces a trajectory on the unit circle. That is, for any $t$, $e^{it}$ is on the unit circle, which is what we wanted to show.
It is notable that from here, we may see that $|f'(t)| = \|\alpha'(t)\| = 1$, which tells us that the unit circle is traced one length unit per unit length in $t$, which is enough for us to deduce Euler's formula in its full form.