The advantages of knowing your limitations

I used to motivate myself a lot when ever I felt blues during my academic life. My self motivation became more intense in my engineering days when I was failing to get firstclass marks every time.
The one favourite motivating thought I had told myself is 'Don't feel any limits'.This line is of my own.I told this line many times to myself in my academic days.I felt a lot better after having thought this.
But when I received an unexpected setback later, I was told by my friends and relatives that every one has limitations and they 'know' it. I was stunned by this fact. Till then I was thinking every one can do what ever they wanted,but they were not doing it because they choose to do/not to do certain things. I was thinking I too had this unlimted potential. But this was not to be! I too had my limitations.But I was not knowing that fact and that cost me lot. Later I began to observe people more closely and I found that their lives are risk-free because they knew their limitations and hence living a life in well defined framework. I really admire their wisdom and knew my mistake which cost me dearly.
So knowing your limitations is the wisest thing to do.If you don't want to be limited by any thing,then spiritual life offers a great deal to learn and live the way.