These Are The Eight Types Of Friends You Need In Your Life According To Experts

Are you part of a large group of pals? Does your number exceed eight? If the answer to the latter question is yes, then you need to start ditching a few. 

Wellbeing expert Tom Rath has teamed up with Gallup, an American research company to survey 1,000 people about friendship. The aim was to establish 'vital friends' - those who, if they vanished, your life satisfaction would noticeably decrease. 

The results found that their are eight types of friends we should ideally have in our lives but who are these buds we need so much in our squad and why are they so important? Read on the find out. How many can you recognise and which one do you think you are?

1. The Builder 

'Someone who motivates you and encourages you to take it to the next level. That supportive friend who believes in your potential and won’t let you rest on your laurels.'

2. The Champion 

'We all need a friend who isn’t afraid to break out the pom-poms and play cheerleader. Somebody who roots for you and describes you to others in a way that makes you blush'

3. The Collaborator 

'Who loves that same strange thing that you love? Who is that friend that the moment you see each other you roll up your sleeves and get to work on the next big caper?'

4. The Companion

'Simply put: a best friend. They won’t just help you move; they’ll help you move bodies. The person who will still be there when everyone else has very wisely run for cover.'

5. The Connector

'No matter what the issue, they know somebody who can help. They make friends more often than most people make excuses. Even if they were locked in solitary confinement with no one to talk to, they’d end up best pals with the prison guard.'

6. The Energiser

'That fun friend. The person you’re always laughing around. The one who always knows the great place to go or the awesome thing to do.'

7. The Mind Opener 

'They send you interesting articles. They get you to question your assumptions. Talking to them makes your brain do things straight out of the dream sequences from “Inception.”'

8. The Navigator

'Sometimes they’re a mentor, sometimes they’re a sounding board, but they’re always your GPS system for when you don’t know which exit to take on the highway of life.'

On this week's episode of Before Brunch we chat murder as entertainment, SJP vs Kim Cattrall, and Jennifer Aniston's crafty media manipulation! Subscribe here.