10 Simple Lessons to Survive Stock Market Crashes

Hi friends,

Stock markets are exciting—but they can also be stressful. Prices can rise fast, fall faster, and test every bit of your patience.

In a crash, many beginners panic and sell too soon. But downturns aren’t the end of the world—they’re a normal part of investing.

After the 2008 crisis, investor and behavioural finance expert James Montier shared 10 lessons to help investors handle rough markets. Fifteen years later, these lessons still matter.
Here they are—simple, clear, and with real examples.

Tue Aug 12, 2025

1. Markets Are Not Always Right Stock prices reflect human emotions as much as facts.
Example: Zomato jumped after listing but later dropped almost 50%.
Lesson: Do your own research—don’t assume the market is always right.

2. Don’t Follow the Crowd Copying others often leads to buying high and selling low. Lesson: Invest for your own goals, not to match the crowd.

3. All Crashes Feel New, But They’re the Same Most crashes follow the same cycle: excitement → too much money → overconfidence → cracks → panic.
Lesson: Recognize the pattern and stay calm.

4. Buy Cheap, Not Expensive Great companies are not always great investments if the price is too high.
Lesson: Price matters. Overpaying hurts returns.

5. Be Patient Good companies need time to grow.
Example: Bajaj Finance fell 80% in 2008–09, but rewarded patient investors over the next 15 years.
Lesson: Hold for the long term.

6. Watch Market Mood When fear is high, prices can be low. That’s when opportunities often appear.
Lesson: Sometimes the best buys happen when most people are afraid.

7. Avoid Too Much Borrowing Leverage can magnify both gains and losses.
Lesson: Invest mostly with your own money to reduce risk.

8. Keep It Simple Complicated models often fail in crises.
Lesson: Clarity beats complexity.

9. Look at the Big Picture Even strong companies are affected by the economy.
Lesson: Track both company health and economic conditions.


10. Prepare Before Trouble Comes Risk management works best before a downturn, not after.
Lesson: Diversify and hold strong companies before storms hit.

Market crashes are part of investing. We can’t avoid them—but we can prepare for them. Montier’s lessons are a reminder that patience, discipline, and preparation matter more than prediction. Stay calm, stay invested, and you’ll not just survive the storm—you may come out stronger.

For any stock related queries DM me.