The friend who tells you what you want to hear is the easiest to keep and the least useful to have.

Agreement is comfortable and carries no information. A friend who reflects your own opinion back at you will never cost you an evening, and will also never stop you walking into something obvious. You leave those conversations lighter and no better informed. The friend who says the awkward thing is harder to have and the one you will be glad of later.

Think about who you go to when you already know what you want to hear, and notice what you are really asking for. Then take the same question to the person who will push back. You can ignore what they say, but you should hear it first.