The Changing of The Queen’s Guard in the United Kingdom is perhaps one of the most well-known of military exhibitions in all the world. Being rooted in 17th century military drills and exercises to protect the monarch, the guard changing today still upholds those traditions as more than simply symbolic but also necessary to maintaining order and discipline among the ranks of the guard. Despite what some tourists may think, these soldiers are not merely ceremonial; they are combat-ready, elite troops who carry live ammunition and are ready to defend The Queen and the Royal Family at all times. As such, The Changing of The Queen’s Guard, while entertaining to watch, is a very serious and revered tradition among the soldiers who take part in it, and that means tremendous importance on performing well.
That performance actually happens in 3 separate places: Buckingham Palace, St. James’s Palace, and the Wellington Barracks and the whole process takes about 2 hours from start to finish (if interested, you can read about the history and the ceremony itself on this page: http://changing-guard.com/changing-guard-buckingham-palace.html). Nonetheless, an amazing amount of precision and discipline goes into to the ceremony, from the band’s rhythmic arrival and departure music to the soldiers’ presentation of arms and marching formations. The result, of course, is a spectacular display of showmanship that manages to draw thousands of visitors each time the ceremony is held. Why is The Changing of the Guard so fascinating or so popular? Or maybe a different question is in order: Would The Changing of the Guard be as fascinating or as popular if the soldiers were untrained and undisciplined? Of course not! We are entertained and delighted by skill and expertise, not simply the motions and routine of a process. Moreover, these soldiers train for years and years for just the opportunity of being selected for The Queen’s Guard, and that training has tremendous results (as can be seen in this brief video of The Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace):
However, the point I am trying to make is that the commitment and the precision of the work one does is what guarantees the results, which is so much more than just showing up and doing the task at hand. We can take away this and more from the men (and women, who were first given the opportunity of joining The Queen’s Guard in 2007), who perform this sacred duty. We should dive into our careers and our roles with the same attention to detail, the same regard, and the same discipline that these soldiers exhibit, even in the wake of sweltering heat and obnoxious tourists (of which there were many when I witnessed the display). In the hotel industry, for example, we are taught to orient ourselves to satisfying the guest wholly. Any deviation from that goal, any time we put our own desires above those of the guest, means that we did not fully commit and we did not hit our target. Only when we fully obligate ourselves to a task or a job and aim for absolute precision in the work accomplished do we achieve the desired results. Only then do we hit our mark. And the results, as can be seen, are awe-inspiring.
For someone who does hit her mark, please check out the website of one of my very good friends, Paxton Mittleman. This is a young woman who has passion coursing through her veins for anything and everything she puts her mind to, and I emulate her for that.
Paxton’s website: http://paxtonmittleman.com
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