From losing to inflation to passive investing, Roeland's shift
Ditch the earn-more, spend-more trap
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Hey Future Millionaire,
Quick question before we dive in:
Have you ever looked at your bank account and thought, "Where the hell did all my money go?"
If you're nodding right now, you're going to love today's story.
Meet Roeland living in the Netherlands
When Roeland first reached out to me, he wasn't in financial trouble.
Far from it, actually.
Good job? Tick
Solid income? Tick
Savings in place? Tick
On paper, everything looked fine.
But something didn't feel right.
"I didn't really know what I was doing with my money," he told me. "I was saving, but there wasn't a strategy. It felt passive. And I was always wondering: am I doing enough?"
Sound familiar?
Like a lot of smart professionals, Roeland had built a great career. But he hadn't yet built a clear path to financial freedom.
He had pensions from past employers scattered around. Cash sitting in savings accounts earning nothing. No structured investing strategy.
There was no crisis. But there was no clarity either.
And underneath it all was this quiet frustration.
He was doing everything "right" but still felt like he was guessing.
That guessing? It was draining.
The lightbulb moment
We started with the basics. Session one was all about getting everything in one place.
"My spreadsheet with you was the first time I looked at my full financial picture," Roeland said. "It gave me so much insight. Before that, I was just looking at numbers in isolation."
We mapped out his assets - pensions, savings, stocks - and projected them forward. With real returns. Real timeframes. Real compounding.
That's when the first lightbulb went off.
"I realised that if I just keep this savings rate and invest consistently, I'll end up with a fortune," he said. "That changed everything. I suddenly had peace of mind."
From there, things started to shift fast:
→ He moved his pension from earning 1-2% into a long-term investment plan
→ He started investing in the Vanguard All-World ETF instead of letting cash sit idle
→ He set up monthly auto-investing, so the plan could run without effort
He didn't need 1,000 spreadsheets.
Or a perfect budget.
Or to spend hours watching the market.
He just needed a plan that actually made sense. A plan he believed in.
And once he had it, the stress disappeared.
The transformation
"I feel much more relaxed about money now," he said. "I don't have to think about it daily. I know it's working."
By the time we wrapped up, Roeland had:
A clear investing strategy
A consolidated view of all his pensions
Automatic monthly investing into a globally diversified ETF
A 50%+ savings rate (already!)
And a mindset shift that changed everything
Here's how he put it:
"Before this, my mindset was indirectional. Now I feel confident."
And it wasn't just confidence. It was freedom.
Freedom to stop worrying.
Freedom to stop second-guessing.
Freedom to let go of the feeling that he was "probably missing something."
He even told me: "Money now feels like a way to gain independence and the opportunity to choose - not something to stress about every day."
His biggest win?
Swapping a passive savings mindset for a proactive investing one.
And turning vague financial goals into concrete outcomes.
Oh - and gaining €15,000 by optimising his pension just at the bottom of the market after Trump's tariffs.
The real lesson here
Roeland's story isn't about getting rich quick. It's about getting clear fast.
Most high earners think their salary will save them. But your six-figure income won't build wealth - your habits will.
Roeland proved that financial freedom isn't about earning more. It's about directing what you already have with intention and strategy.
The difference between feeling "indirectional" and feeling confident?
A plan you actually understand and believe in.
Your turn
If Roeland's story resonates, here's what I want you to do:
Look at your full financial picture - when did you last see everything in one place?
Ask yourself the hard question - are you saving or are you investing? (There's a massive difference)
Consider this - what would change in your life if you felt confident about money instead of constantly worried?
The truth? You don't need to be a finance expert to build wealth.
You just need a plan that makes sense and the guidance to stick to it.
Want to have your own "aha" moment like Roeland?
I've got 3 spots left this month for my Money Mastery programme.
Same process Roeland went through.
Same clarity.
Same confidence.
Book a chat here and let's see if it's right for you.
No pressure. No sales pitch. Just an honest conversation about where you are and where you want to be.
Because feeling "indirectional" about money is optional.
Feeling confident? That's a choice you can make today.
Talk soon,
Sjoerd
P.S. Roeland's already recommended the programme to a friend. When someone's willing to put their reputation on the line for you, you know you're doing something right.
Quick reminder: I'm not just a coach - I'm someone who's walked this path myself. Left corporate after 11 years at Salesforce, built my own financial freedom, and now I help others do the same.
Real experience.
Real results.
Real transparency.
