Evolutionary biologist and author, Robin Dunbar argues that the average man can sustain about 150 friendships (or only one wife).
Within that 150, there are circles of more intimate relationships.
The furthest it breaks down to is to the category of an ‘inner circle of intimate friends’.
And that number? Five.
The average man has (or should have) five close friends with whom he can connect with on a regular basis.
It can vary by one or two, but five seems to be the sweet spot.
This is especially true if your various friends fulfill different roles in your life;
The Mentor
There comes a time (probably many times) in a man’s life where he just needs to talk to another guy and get some advice.
Whether he’s a peer who’s beyond his years in wisdom, or an older gentleman you met at church, you need someone you can turn to when the going gets tough.
The Wingman/Bachelor
Two is always better than one, especially in social settings, and the wingman is adept at making any outing go smoother.
Often gregarious and charismatic, the wingman takes the pressure off you, as he is able to draw people over and put them at ease.
The wingman is also the guy who restores your lost confidence after a break up and gives you the kick in the rear you need in order to get off the couch, and back into the dating scene.
Then, when you get hitched, this is the buddy who remains the perennial bachelor.
The Handyman
This is perhaps one of the more valuable types of friends there are.
But be careful to not take advantage of the handyman, as he can easily end up just doing work with you and for you, instead of having some casual hang out times as well. Also, if he does do some work for you, or even just helps out, make sure you thank him somehow – buy him a beer!
The Fitness Buff
The fitness fanatic may be our least favourite of friends.
He can run marathons with ease.
He trains for Ironman triathlons like it’s his job, and he even enjoys it.
He loves to invite you along but you always decline the invitation.
The best reason to have him as a friend is so that you know what can be accomplished if you would suddenly decide to lose the beer boep.
But you won’t…
The Work Buddy
Most men spend at least 40 hours at work each week, and it’s often more when you factor in lunch, overtime, and all those times you show up early because your wife is being a pain.
The beauty about the work buddy is that you can lower your expectations a little bit.
This is not to sound harsh, but he doesn’t need to be your best friend for the rest of your life, he just needs to help you get through the week.
And if you happen to get along, you can always go fishing on Saturday.
