If a stock market crash is on the way, history says this is the smartest thing investors can do

The stock market has long been one of the most reliable paths to create wealth. Since the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution ignited in late November 2022, the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) has gained a cumulative 83%, propelled by innovation and expanding corporate profits in technology and related sectors.

These advances reinforce the appeal of stocks for long-term investors who simply stay the course. At the same time, the market's elevated valuation and heavy concentration in a handful of dominant names have sparked growing speculation that a meaningful correction -- or even a bear market -- could lie ahead.

Understanding how the stock market moves

Stocks do not travel in a straight line upward or downward. Instead, they move through cycles of expansion and contraction that reflect the macroeconomic environment and shifts in investor psychology.

Declining stock prices often coincide with recessions, when the economy begins to show weakness with declining growth rates. Selling pressure can also emerge independently of economic downturns. When corporate profits fall short of optimistic forecasts that are already priced into stocks, investors may decide to lock in gains. This profit-taking can quickly snowball into broader selling.

Understanding these ebbs and flows as ordinary features of the stock market -- rather than anomalies -- allows investors to digest downturns with greater composure instead of panic.

What lessons can be learned from prior downturns?

Since 2000, the S&P 500 has recorded four distinct bear markets:

• Dot-com bust: 49% decline
• 2008 financial crisis: 57% decline
• COVID-19 crash: 34% decline
• 2022 bear market: 25% decline

In the chart below, I've annotated recessions in the gray-shaded columns. History shows that the market ultimately recovered from each of these episodes and moved on to notch new all-time highs. Even earlier this year, the S&P 500 pulled back 7% as investors took profits after years of strong AI-driven gains, combined with questions about whether earnings growth would continue at the previously assumed pace we've witnessed over the last few years.

As always, the market absorbed the selling pressure, eventually stabilized, and resumed its upward trajectory.

How can investors respond to uncertainty?

When the possibility of a bear market arises, perhaps the best action is to maintain a long-term mindset. This approach hinges on buying blue chip companies with durable business models, competitive advantages, and the ability to generate consistent cash flow through varying economic cycles.

Rather than monitoring daily price volatility or attempting to forecast short-term returns, the smartest investors measure success across decades. Wealth in the stock market is ultimately built through the compounding effect of buying and holding stocks, not through frequent day trading or reactive decisions.

By doubling down on quality positions during periods of stress, investors give themselves the best chance to participate fully in the market recoveries that have always followed every major decline.

Adam Spatacco has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.