Most of us are well aware of the types of friends we don’t want or need in our lives. The excessive substance abusers, the drama queens, the selfish types, the Debbie Downers and the attention whores are all prime examples of friendships we don’t want to keep around.

However, there are certain types of friends you definitely should keep around: those who uplift you, motivate you, connect you to like-minded people, bring you to cool places, show you interesting things and bring out the best in you. These are the friends who will add value to your life by contributing to your success, uplifting your mood, expanding your horizons and ramping up your hustle. These are the 6 types of friends you need to have in your life:

1. The friend with connections. They know how to network, they have great people skills and they have a lot of connections. They surround themselves with the established, the intelligent and the savvy. They’re good at forming genuine relationships and maintaining those relationships. The friend with connections can help you meet new people who will mentor you and contribute to your success.

2. The candid friend. You need someone in your life who will call you out on your shit. Someone who is straightforward and honest  is much more beneficial than someone who beats around the bush, sugar-coats the truth or tip-toes around your feelings. We need honesty, even if it’s not what we want to hear, because the truth is the most valuable thing someone can give you.  If the last song you wrote sucked, your hair looked way better blonde or your website’s logo looks terrible – those are things you need to know. That’s the candid friend’s role.

3. The happy and positive friend. Having a friend who is always negative will do nothing but bring you down, which is why you need the happy and positive friend. The friend who uplifts you by always giving you positive affirmations is a keeper. He or she will enrich your life by being a positive, happy and motivating energy in your life. When you surround yourself with the right people, you’ll notice your negativity fading and your self-motivation will gain momentum.

4. The entrepreneurial friend. Having a friend who is business-minded and smart will help you out with your own entrepreneurial goals. These intelligent and driven types are great friends to have around, especially if you tend to slack off in the hustling department. Witnessing their hustle and their drive will motivate you to work on your own hustle, and you can bounce ideas off each other since you both have goals and ambition. When it comes to achieving your professional goals, the entrepreneurial friend is important to keep around to keep you in check.

5. The socialite. The friend who’s always going to the coolest events and knows about the hottest upcoming entertainment is an awesome friend to have. The socialite often gets invited to the best parties and the most exclusive events, and being their friend might just mean you get to be their plus one. Want to attend a fun event or network with cool people? The socialite is a valuable friend to have.

6. The confident friend. You need a confident, really out-there friend for various reasons. If you’re single, you’ll need a friend confident enough to break the ice by approaching that table of cute guys. If you’re networking, you’ll need a confident friend to introduce you to high-up people in your industry in a way that will make you look good and impress the hell out of them. Their confidence can also help break you out of your shell, showing you how much more fun life can be when you’re assertive instead of passive.

Featured image via WeHeartIt