So maybe there's:-
Working to extend the limits, which can be a somewhat dry intellectual
experience.
** i tend to view practice (or writing) as the main extending of limits situation(s). sometimes this includes getting the pedals to do stuff that i haven't thought of before.
Working within the limits, which is more immediate (and fun).
** always creating new limits, no? sometimes it happens on the gig . . . to me it's about putting your mind in a place where it has the tools to effectively respond to new information/ideas and then take the tools at hand and twist them to the problem at hand.
stig