Dig a Foxhole For your Friend

I place much store in building quality friendships because I strongly believe that great friendships can help you overcome any adversities. They can move mountains for you and enhance your quality of life.

Hence, I set forth on a personal journey to find the ‘Ultimate Friendship’. I had always wanted to explore a deeper menaing behind true friendships, how could strong emotional bonds be created between 2 unrelated strangers. Finally, I came across the ‘Foxhole Principle’ in John Maxwell’s book, “Winning With People”.

In the military, all soldiers were taught how to build foxholes to take cover under enemy fire where he could fight from. Normally, a soldier is expected to dig a foxhole large enough for himself to provide him with adequate cover. However, to put himself in a better fighting position, it would be better to build a foxhole that is big enough to accommodate 2 soldiers so that both he and his buddy would be able to provide each other with better security. It would be more difficult to destroy this position as it would be harder to suppress 2 soldiers than 1 alone. Just as the ‘Foxhole Principle’ preaches having ‘Ultimate Friends’ fighting side-by-side with you during tough times, it is probably one of the most valuable assets you can possess.

I first realized I had by implicitly applying the ‘Foxhole Principle’, I got to know one of best friends during my college days. It was one day when I had roped in one of my ‘hi-bye’ friends, V, to help me draft a business plan for an entrepreneurship competition I was taking part in. Initially, I had decided to name the business plan report as ‘My Coffee Maker Business Idea Formulation’ since I was participating under my name. However, as I thought of how V was doing all the work and me getting the credit, I decided to change the name of the business plan to ‘V and L’s Grand Coffee Maker Business Idea Formulation”. We took part in the competition, using both our names. As the competition progressed, we decided to work together to handle any objections thrown to us by the judges. In the end, even though we lost out on the competition, I gained a ‘Foxhole Comrade’ whom I was ready to trust to fight beside me and face any battles together. Till this day, we still work together side by side, through thick and thin.

Friends like ‘V’ do not often enter your lifetimes. They are few and between who would provide the strength you need to go through any battle as you fight on, be it in your business or in war. You fight on with the security that this friends would support you and both of you will make a massive difference in each other’s lives.

Here’s some ways you can identify ‘Foxhole friends’:

• Someone who will never ever sell away your secrets even for a million dollars.

• Someone who will cry with you when you break up with your first love.

• Someone who will hide away all your sweets and chocolates when you announce you are on a diet.

• Someone who will fast with you while you are on a diet.

• Someone who will declare you are thin in their eyes when the whole world thinks you are fat.

Treasure these friends and remember to build a foxhole for your friends because when you want their unconditional love and support, you must be prepared to fight with them, cry for them and laugh with them through good times and bad times. Anyway, that’s what friends are for…