You may be thinking, “Oh, I could work anywhere.” Maybe you could. If you're a computer programmer who needs to see nothing outside of a cubicle for weeks on end or a writer who needs only a laptop, then that cubicle or that laptop could probably be anyplace on earth. But your life isn't spent only at work. You have to live somewhere, perhaps with a family, certainly near friends. You likely have hobbies and activities that you want to do in your spare time that don't involve computer programming or writing. You need to shop for necessities as well as the little indulgences that make life more pleasant. You like to expand your horizons occasionally with a class or a museum visit. You enjoy a concert or movie now and then. So, if you're a computer programmer who also has a life, and your cubicle is in the middle of an isolated prairie hundreds of miles from anything, then you may be able to do your job, but you aren't going to be very happy.

Most working people can expect to change jobs several times during their lifetime, and some of those changes will entail moving someplace new. Yes, there will be considerations that will often take precedence, such as salary requirements, family obligations, or desired employer. But all other things being equal, if your employment choices are all a good match with your skills, personality, values, and interests, then the location of your work can be an important determining factor in your career path. There will be certain places that suit you, speak to you, and enable you to work more efficiently, effectively, and contentedly.