"There was a time when I felt I should do everything that was offered to me, you know, ride the wave"

In this quote, Christian Slater assesses a time in his life when he felt pressure to handle every chance that came his way. He explains this sensation as "riding the wave," suggesting that he was captured up in the momentum and excitement of continuously stating yes to new tasks or experiences. This could be translated as a desire to please others or a worry of losing out on possible success. However, making use of the previous tense implies that Slater has because discovered to be more selective and deliberate with his choices, instead of just going with the circulation.