I'm married to a very challenging woman. She was one of those who focused on developing a career. We met when she was 31. 2 years later, we married. 2 years later we had a child together. We've been together almost 23 years.

Besides the fact that she looks like Marilyn Monroe, I found it attractive that she was motivated to be something other than a wife and mother. I'm sure she found it attractive that I had a career track. Together, we do very well economically and are both well respected professionally in our respective business worlds, but truthfully, it has its challenges.

We both need to travel on business. We have home responsibilities that include children, pets and volunteerism. Both being in positions of responsibility (me nationally and her internationally) requires an enormous amount of schedule coordination between us, and frankly, it gets tiring. Because we're both challenged on time, we both also have to play the traditional roles of each.

We are fortunate to be able to afford the things we can, and to fund our kids' education, but there's times when making a lot less and having a simpler life sure seems attractive.

Anyway, different men want different things from a woman. Some look for a woman that enjoys hunting. Some look for the trophy wife to show off. Some look for a homemaker and mother. No matter which it is, the "perfect match" always comes with hidden imperfections that eventually show up. You make it work or not. The problem for women is they ALWAYS look for perfection and can't deal with any imperfections very well. If they start out looking for perfection and don't find it, eventually, they settle for imperfections and then hold it against the guy for not being their "ideal". Its just how they are. Never expect more than they are naturally wired and you should be good.