Meghan Markle had already made a name for herself before becoming a member of the royal family. She was not only a star of Suits, but she was also a prolific public speaker (she has spoken at the United Nations), philanthropist, activist, and also ran her own fashion website called The Tig.

She was appointed a Global Ambassador for World Vision Canada in 2016, and she visited Rwanda for the Clean Water Campaign.

She contributed to The Game Changers, a recent book that interviews some of the world’s most inspiring women, from Gwyneth Paltrow and Bobbi Brown to Elle Macpherson and Rachel Zoe.

Following that, Markle landed a role in the Suits pilot, and after the show was greenlit, she was cast as Rachel Zane, a key character on the show. Like they say, the rest is history.

“It was my first pilot that was ever ordered to series, so the phone call from my agent saying it was being greenlit still remains one of the best days of my life. Once I got over the shock, that is! I was absolutely paralysed in disbelief.”

Here’s what she had to say about performance and how she stays motivated in her work.

Speak out on the issues that concern you.

‘I was just eleven years old when I was in my classroom at Hollywood Little Red Schoolhouse and a commercial came on for a popular dish washing liquid. The tagline of the campaign said, “Women all over America are fighting greasy pots and pans.” The boys in my classroom yelled out, “Yeah, that’s where women belong. In the kitchen.”

‘My little freckled face became red with anger. I went home and wrote letters to powerhouse feminist attorney, Gloria Allred; to a host of a kids news program; to the soup manufacturer; and to Hilary Clinton (who was our First Lady at the time). With the exception of the soap manufacturer, they all pledged support – and within a few months, the commercial was changed to, “People all over America are fighting greasy pots and pans.”’

“There will always be negative voices and sometimes those voices can appear to be outsized, and sometimes they can appear to be painfully loud. You can and will use your own voices to drown out the noise. Because that’s what it is—just noise.” – July 2020

Get your priorities straight.

‘I’ve never wanted to be a lady who lunches – I’ve always wanted to be a woman who works.’

“I started working at a soup kitchen in skid row of Los Angeles when I was 13 years old, and the first day I felt really scared. I was young, and it was rough and raw down there, and though I was with a great volunteer group, I just felt overwhelmed. I remember one of my mentors, Mrs Maria Pollia, told me that ‘life is about putting others’ needs about your own fears’. That has always stayed with me.”

Be comfortable in your own skin.

‘My 20s were brutal – a constant battle with myself, judging my weight, my style, my desire to be as cool/as hip/as smart/as “whatever” as everyone else. My teens were even worse – grappling with how to fit in, and what that even meant.

Be kind to yourself.

“Be good to yourself. Love yourself, treat yourself, honour yourself and celebrate you.” – February 2015

Helping other women is important.

‘It is said that girls with dreams become women with vision. May we empower each other to carry out such vision — because it isn’t enough to simply talk of equality. One must believe it. And it isn’t enough to simply believe in it. One must work at it. Let us work at it. Together. Starting now.’

“When girls are given the right tools to succeed, they can create incredible futures, not only for themselves but also for those around them.” – October 2018

Set smart objectives.

‘My New Year’s resolution is to leave room for magic. To make my plans, and be okay if they sometimes break. To set my goals, but to be open to change. To let the magic know that there is an open door policy with me in 2016 and that it is always welcome to join the party.’
Don’t give it five minutes if you’re not going to give it five years.

“I say to you, keep challenging, keep pushing, make them a little uncomfortable. Because it’s only in that discomfort that we actually create the conditions to reimagine our standards, our policies, and our leadership; to move towards real representation and meaningful influence over the structures of decision-making and power.” – July 2020

Meghan Markle is a self-made woman who has worked tirelessly to achieve her success.