Like many others who grew up in the early to late 2000s, John Mayer has always kind of been on the periphery of daily life. In more recent years, the musician’s character arc has led me to dive into his catalog, one with more depth than I had ever imagined.

I wrote the pop star off in the early 2000s, unable to listen to the — what I considered to be — uber pretentious love songs written for and marketed to tween and young teen girls.

This is a tragedy. Because of such songs as Your Body is a Wonderland, I missed out on Slow Dancing in a Burning Room, Gravity, and Waiting on the World to Change.

John Mayer has transformed himself from a teen pop idol and self-proclaimed “Ego Addict” (Here’s a link to the interview in which he recounts his younger days) into a sage with profound insight as well as one of the all-time great guitarists (Here’s a link to Eric Clapton discussing Mayer’s talents).

Mayer has reinvented himself, playing with the remaining members of the Grateful Dead in Dead and Company. His solo career has reached new heights, following the success of his hit, introspective single, I Guess I Just Feel Like. His tours consist of refreshingly minimalist shows, with Mayer playing entirely different sets night to night. He seems to be playing as much for himself as the audience.

We can all learn from artists, especially those who have touched the stardom and fame we all dream of. Mayer has become a sage of sorts, someone to look to for snippets of wisdom, whether it be in the lyrics, a guitar solo, or a little audience interaction between songs at a concert.

In 2017, in Sao Paolo, Brazil, Mayer paused before launching into the next song. He stared reflectively at the audience, strumming on his guitar, maybe nervously, maybe just to fill the space. He seems uncomfortable in an advice-giving role, but he steps to the microphone and says,

“Watch out for how much time you spend waiting for stuff to be over. Watch out…You know, we all got flights. we got jobs. We got traffic we have to wait through. But watch out for waiting for too much stuff to be over.

“Never wish for less time.

“Waiting for stuff to be over is just wishing for less time. on this flight. in this car. in this week…in this year.

“Before you know it, you’ll be 40. And that’ll be beautiful. But from that point forward, memories take on a whole different life. The future takes on a whole different life.

“Never wish for less time.”

This small piece of advice carries with it a considered weight. How much time do we spend waiting for the next thing to do? Wondering if there’s anything out there that might be more fun, or less boring?

It’s worth an inward look, a self-conscious decision to stay in the time we are given right now. Let’s not worry about getting through something, let’s grab it by the neck and give it our all, even if it is just sitting in traffic — turn on the radio and sing your heart out.

Even if it is just sitting at work — small talk with your neighbor, text your significant other. Anything that will spark a little joy, something to keep us in the moment.

Never wish for less time.