Last year's 33% plunge in the Nasdaq-100 technology index was a reminder to investors that focusing on the long term is the best way to generate positive returns in the stock market.

Since the inception of the Nasdaq-100 in 1985, it has delivered a positive annual return 81% of the time. There's no perfect time to buy; however, the index has only declined in consecutive years on one occasion -- during the dot-com bust from 2000 to 2002 -- which suggests buying technology stocks after a down year tends to work really well. 

With that in mind, let's explore three stocks with the potential to generate a fourfold return by the end of this decade. That means any one of them -- or a combination of all three -- could turn a $250,000 investment into $1 million. But you don't need a starting balance that large to reap the benefits. These stocks could lead a growth-oriented portfolio of any size. 

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Source Fool.com