Appointment letter arrived. My mother had applied for a job in Railways. The headquarters of that zone was at Secunderabad. He hoped that he would be posted there in a school where his sister and brother lived. We didn’t know how far that area extended. She was posted in the Railway School, Hubli. We didn’t know where that city was. We sat down to look at the map and realized that it is in North Karnataka. In Chennai where we lived then, no one in our circle knew this place. But it was a government job that could not be turned down. So we went. I disliked everything about this move. New language, a college I was barely familiar with, no friends, strange food and a sleepy city full of dust; I blushed.

Now after 42 years Hubli is my hometown. My place, filled with wonderful memories. The move that expanded My World to include more languages ​​and culture; Made me tolerant of different kinds of people; brought love and care into my life; introduced me to rural India; And the list is long. I am grateful that we are gone. When my little niece asked me what was the best place to live, I told her anywhere in the world. She laughs at my romanticism. But let’s think about the location. Not only the serious steps we take like visiting Hubli, but also the decisions taken carefully.

Whether we like it or not, economics matters. The decision to relocate should result in better financial position for home. The migrants who endure the miserable working and living conditions in our cities have been inspired by revenue they can earn. A place that holds a steady income-paying job cuts them off from known lands and from their beloved families. Our young engineers who leave home to work in a strange country, but in a similar situation, only have more skills at work and their earnings. Income tops the checklist for location. Let’s look at others.

Are we able to make friends and connect with people? Those who move on start their lives closer community who may have gone before. Many people seek familiarity in a new place. This is helpful, but can also keep us closed to new possibilities. If we are open to adopting new people into our fold then it is easy to walk away. New friends open up new worlds for us and bring out aspects of our own personalities that we didn’t know existed. For those who cannot leave the comfort of familiarity in the food, language, people, customs and customs, walking becomes difficult.

Are we true to the real reasons why we are attached to a place? In the days when farming and business were the main occupations to earn money, being rooted was helpful or even essential. One had to live near the land to be cultivated; one had developed customers and equity operating in one place; One can mobilize resources from friends and family. Cultivated amenities then lingered in the minds of the people, even in the days when a person’s profession took them wherever he went. Dig deep to see if those same meanings can be developed by you in a new place. Can you see yourself as establishing these comfort zones for yourself and others who come to live and work in your new place?

Are we open to new and unhelpful experiences? Or does the unknown trigger fear and apprehension? Our degree of risk aversion varies greatly. We may not be able to change it much in a lifetime, unless there are life-changing experiences that change our course dramatically. Some thrive in the thrill of the unknown. They enjoy new routes, new destinations and new undiscovered destinations. Others choose to stick to the beaten path because familiarity gives them comfort. If you’re the latter, it’s hard for you to walk.

Is it our habit to complain and blame? The human mind is very aware of its choices. It is constantly comparing and thinking about what should happen, rather than what should happen. Many of us unconsciously fit our present into a glorious past that becomes more precious in memory and nostalgia. It’s hardest to walk for people who must judge jobs, people and events everywhere based on what they really know. If you’re that kind of person, check with a close friend. You are likely to walk very hard.

Are we willing to settle for something satisfying instead of optimizing everything? Satisfactory Choice simply chooses something positive and makes a decision quickly; The customization options keep checking until all the features reveal themselves and always want more. You need to know what your type is. Can you prioritize what’s important and leave something else behind? A good job in a cool cool place; A noisy city with long journeys but the comfort of extended family; a new and unknown city to start life with a loved one; These are all tough choices. You cannot make a choice without leaving the other for one.

Do you believe that certain specific places matter a lot to the quality of your life, work, and your personal goals? Can you put a cause above all else and be resilient? The girl who worked with my friend ran away from the interiors of her village in search of work in Mumbai. She must have been married off to an older man whom she feared might be abusive. Moving to Mumbai was an adventure, but she wanted to move away from what looked dangerous. She attends evening college to become a lab technician, an opportunity she did not know existed in her village. She inspires many girls of her village.

The moral of the story is this: Align your assets so that you can proceed to seize an opportunity when it presents itself. Get a real idea of ​​your true nature while making a choice. Young earners paying EMIs, urban buying farms, retirees returning to their hometowns, mansions earning in the Gulf and NRIs buying properties at home are all case studies of location decisions that are mistakenly guided by questionable assumptions. The stories of worthless assets abound. Make that choice of location a real personal financial decision that is real to you.

(The author is chairperson of the Center for Investment Education and Learning.)