Last week, I had my heart broken. I was having dinner with my 6-year-old daughter. It was a quiet night and the two of us were having dinner alone. In the middle of eating, she turned to me and said, “Dad, you work a lot. I wish we could spend more time together.”

There have been situations in my life that made me second-guess decisions I have made, and this was certainly one of them. My first reaction was sadness. I felt horrible. I felt guilty. I felt ashamed that a 6-year-old recognized something about me that I have struggled with my entire career. The work-life balance.

Holding back emotions, I explained to my daughter in 6-year-old terms that it is important for everyone to work. I attempted to explain that you have to work in order to make money so you are able to live.

I gave a simple explanation of bills and the costs associated with living even the simplest life. I described the different careers people have and how some jobs require people to work a lot. I also explained that I loved her and nothing will ever change that.

And finally, I gave her examples of the important times in her life I was there and how I would never be away from her when she needs me most.

Even after my attempt to educate my daughter on the realities of working for a living, I felt the worst I have in a long time. That night I did a lot of self-reflecting and questioned whether or not I was making too big a sacrifice. At one point, I thought I was not doing the right thing as a father. But then I came to a realization. And I think it's important to share the details. I know I'm not the only one facing this challenge.

First, I recognize my faults. I tend to take on more than I should. A few years ago, I was doing consulting work for a company two hours away from my house; I was head coach of my daughter's softball team and vice president of the board at the softball league; I was on the Manchester Planning Board; I was writing a weekly column for the Sunday News; and yes, I also had a family to worry about.

Fortunately, I realized this type of insane lifestyle was not sustainable. At some point, something would give. I could not do it all and it wasn't fair to my family. So I made some pretty substantial changes to try to free up my schedule and focus on what is most important in life.

Unfortunately, even after coming to that realization, I still struggle with the work-life balance. I don't spend nearly as much time with my family as I would like to. It's painful and it's hard to accept. But I also recognize that the alternative is not necessarily the better option.

Regardless of what type of career you have, you make sacrifices. For some, it's worse than others. Some people travel all the time. Others work a lot of hours. To me, it's all the same. We spend more time at work than we do with our families. This is a reality of life everyone must accept and deal with.

And, like I told my daughter, it's important to be there for your family and recognize what is most important in life. Sure I work a lot. But I will be at every one of her games to cheer her on from the stands. I was there to hug her and give her a big kiss when she graduated from kindergarten and gave a speech in front of her classmates.

I was there to watch her in plays she practiced so hard for at theater camp. And I will make it a point to never miss what is most important in her life. That's a promise I will always keep.

We live in a competitive world. You do what you have to do to succeed, grow in your career and provide for your family. And I can tell you one thing: When my daughter grows up, sits me down and says, “Dad, I want to go to Columbia University,” I'm not going to look her in the eyes and say, “Sorry, sweetie, Dad didn't work hard enough, you'll have to find an alternative.”

That's the way I think and that is what motivates me every day.

Thompson (cthompson@catch22solutions.com) writes Closing the Deal weekly for the New Hampshire Sunday News.