For a given linear operator L on l(infinity) with parallel to L parallel to = 1 and L(1) = 1, a notion of limit, called the L-limit, is defined for bounded sequences in a normed linear space X. In the case where L is the left shift operator on l(infinity) and X = l(infinity), the definition of L-limit reduces to Lorentz's definition of sigma-limit, which is described by means of Banach limits on l(infinity). We discuss some properties of L-limits, characterize reflexive spaces in terms of existence of L-limits of bounded sequences, and formulate a version of the abstract mean ergodic theorem in terms of L-limits. A theorem of Sinclair on the form of linear functionals on a unital normed algebra in terms of states is also generalized.
