Cutting spring steel essentially ruins it.
Basically, there are a few choices, most of them inviolve removing the shocks. You can make struts for it, but that will wreck the frame b/c the left side where the shock goes is too long and would bend ojn your first bump. You can hardtail it by welding in some steel between the frame and swingarm. You can strut it with leafspring, but it will handle like cr@p. You can buy shorter shocks from progressive. Or you can find a shorter seat. Evidently when it is hardtailed, you ned to convert it to a chain drive... not sure why.
Do a search for "hardtail."
My bike has the "shorter seat" option, but the shocks are stock.