The healthiest friendships allow success to travel in both directions.

In some friendships good news can only travel one direction. One person is the helper, the successful one, the one with advice, and the other is expected to stay in the role of the one being helped. That arrangement holds until the roles shift, and then it breaks. A friendship built to survive needs both people able to be doing well.

Ask whether you can bring your best news to a given friend as easily as your worst. If not, that is worth knowing about the friendship. And check whether you are the one who quietly prefers a friend who needs you.