Do limits give... or take away?

Just a question I asked myself recently,
Does limiting oneself allow that person to excel further in the fields they limit themselves in? And vice versa, does limiting help these people fail in the things that they say- "This is out of my limits"

One person once told me that they had more freedom because they lived by a certain set of rules in reply to my saying, "don't you feel limited?" in regard to those rules or something along those lines. I found that interesting, but what do you fine people here think?
Discussions are welcome,

Interesting topic Vusuki

My knee jerk reaction was to say that limits are (as the word suggests) limiting and that I don’t believe people benefit from limits.

But I would have to qualify that by saying that there are different types of limits. It’s one thing to have a limit that is set by a belief system “I’ll never be good at this” “I’m not talented enough” “It’s too far out of my reach”, and quite another to have limits that are set deliberately in accordance with your plans and values.

I get distracted easily, so when an opportunity comes my way or I want to do something I have to ask myself 1- does this support or derail my current goal? 2- is this in line with my value system. And that’s not just values like a moral guide, but the values that underpin various parts of my life. For instance, if I’m offered a project I ask myself if it ticks the following boxes. Is it going to further my career? Am I going to be excited and committed till the end? Is it going to benefit everyone involved. Is the value worth my time? If yes, then I go ahead. If not then I don’t accept. It is a limitation, but one that in the long term allows me to do more.

I think limitations do both, they limit us and they give us. We all know that everyone has limitations. The human body is a limitation, laws of physics limit us. Everyone is somehow limited. But in return they make us think how we can use those limitations for our advantage or freedom. These are the ones we cannot change.
However psychic limitations can be rules which we chose to follow or convictions which are unconscious. The unconscious ones limit us often and I think these are the ones we have to avoid or leave behind. Any other "limitation" is just a change of opportunities. One could never do anything but through limitations we change our options.
We cannot fly, so we build air planes.
We obey the laws, so we can peacefully live in a state.

Vusuki wrote: Just a question I asked myself recently,
Does limiting oneself allow that person to excel further in the fields they limit themselves in? And vice versa, does limiting help these people fail in the things that they say- "This is out of my limits"

If that is what you believe then yes.

Limitations come in two layers:

Mental inability. - you think you cannot do it, subconsciously or consciously. And, therefore it is impossible.
Physical inability. - you cannot do it, therefore you must overcome it.

Mental limitations are harder because oftentimes we don't know about them. They are buried in the Id, so to speak.

Limits have two GOOD functions, though:
1. They can provide focus to function.
2. They can secure your life.

Those are also bad things. Focus is great, but what happens when you're wearing blinders? You may miss something important.
Being secure is good. But, what if you miss the adventure. Remember Bilbo Baggins?

"Anyone who devotes himself to a cause with his whole strength and soul can be a true master. For this reason mastery demands all of a person." - Albert Einstain