If you've never weathered a bear market, do yourself a favor—find someone who has and pick their brain. Seriously.

Those who lived through the brutal downturns have battle scars, hard lessons, and perspectives you won't get from reading charts or watching YouTube tutorials. They understand the psychology of watching positions tank, the discipline required to hold or average down, and most importantly, they know what separates survivors from exit bagholders.

Every cycle teaches different people different things. Some learned about risk management the hard way. Others mastered patience. A few figured out how to actually profit during the chaos.

Thank them for their time. You'll be grateful when the next correction hits and you remember their words.