When I met my now-wife, she was an officer in the military, and I had just dropped out of a PhD and started my own company. We both dated, but with the understanding that our relationship would be subject to both our careers. Now, a decade later, we are married and have a kid, and my wife is in grad school.

It's certainly not easy, because my wife and I have similar personalities: we are both type A, analytical, and pretty driven. Let's just say it's been an interesting decade.

However, what did help was that we went into it with eyes open. Neither one of us had any illusions about the other person's goals. And we have been very honest about what we want from life and from each other.

Interestingly, my violin teacher is a full-time musician who is also married to a consultant, and the idea being that he takes care of the kids during the week, and on the weekends, he performs and she has the kids. I can't imagine it being easy, but the truth is, you need to make sacrifices for a relationship to work.

For instance, my wife did not initially want a kid, but once her biological clock started ticking, she decided she was going to leave the military and have a kid. It required some sacrifices from her - and from me. My days of spending weekends getting drunk/sailing/climbing/whatever was in the past. And given that she's in grad school, it's my turn to watch the little guy when I'm home. And that's fine, because I don't consider it a chore.

In a lot of ways, it's also changed my perspective. Our agreement is that once she is done with grad school, I may take a break from my career (even though I'm pretty senior and in a great place). I may go back and get my PhD for a few years while she brings home the kosher bacon - we haven't quite figured out the logistics.

Either way, I certainly think it's very possible but it takes work. And I'd say that meeting the right person often changes things, and your own perspective.