Justin's note: Today, we're passing along a valuable essay from Crisis Investing chief analyst Nick Giambruno. In it, he reveals what he calls "the most powerful wealth building secret in investing"… one that has made legendary investors like Warren Buffett, the Rothschilds, Sir John Templeton, and Casey Research founder Doug Casey rich.

It can work for you, too. Below, Nick explains how this strategy can make you 10 times your money – without taking on big risks…

By Nick Giambruno, chief analyst, Crisis Investing

What is the greatest secret in all of investing?

What really separates amateurs from professionals?

Losers from winners?

If you search the internet, you'll find dozens of people with dozens of answers to this question. Some will say the secret is their proprietary trading system. Some will say it's their method of picking stocks.

I'm sure some of those ideas are useful. But they're not nearly as useful as something I call "the most powerful wealth-building secret in investing."

Master this skill and you'll consistently spot opportunities to make five or 10 times your money on safe investments.

I know that's counter to the conventional investment wisdom that says you have to take big risks to make big returns.

Well, after learning this secret, you'll know that you most certainly do not have to take big risks to make big returns. You'll know most people have it backwards. You simply have to know how to apply this one skill.

It's a skill that helped make Warren Buffett one of the richest men in the world. A skill that helped make Casey Research founder Doug Casey millions of dollars in the stock market. And a skill that made Sir John Templeton a rich man and one of the most respected investors of all time.

I'll tell you what this skill is in a moment. First, I want to show you three real examples of how it has made investors rich.

1) In 1939, legendary investor John Templeton made a fortune betting against the crowd…

At the time, millions of Americans were in poverty due to the Great Depression. And Nazi Germany had just invaded Poland to kick off World War II.

There was an incredible amount of fear in the world. But Templeton, a recent college graduate, invested $10,000 in U.S. stocks. That's the equivalent of $167,000 today.

Amazingly, Templeton didn't even study which companies to buy. He didn't need to. He knew that the extreme fear in the world had pushed U.S. stocks down to ridiculously cheap prices. He simply bought any stock selling for less than $1 on the New York and American stock exchanges.

Four years later, Templeton sold his portfolio for a 300% gain. Today, he's known as the greatest stock picker of the last century.

2) In 2008, iconic U.S. bank Lehman Brothers failed…

It was the biggest bankruptcy in U.S. history. U.S. stocks crashed more than 50%… the biggest crash since the Great Depression. And the stock prices of many great businesses dropped 80% or more.

People were terrified of losing everything: their jobs, their houses, their life savings. There was an incredible amount of fear in the markets.

But the fear was masking an incredible opportunity…

It was the best time to buy quality stocks in 30 years.

Investors who purchased quality stocks in late 2008 made a killing.