Get the First Chapter Free!
Sometimes persistence doesn’t pay off. When pushing harder isn’t working, how do you get where you’re going? You take The Short Cut!
Learn a science-backed system for managing your goals and achieving success, even in today’s fast-changing world.
Enter your email below to get a chapter for free.
PRAISE FOR “THE SHORT CUT”
“Courtney Clark offers research-backed strategies that will help you decide when to pivot, quit or persist so you don't put your energy into the wrong place."
Amy Morin – bestselling author of "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do"
“The Short Cut is the perseverance manual for the 21st century! “
Anne Bonney - author of "Get Over It"
Stop pushing harder. Start choosing smarter.
When slow and steady no longer wins the race, what do you do next?
“Grit” is celebrated as the gold standard of success — but in a world that changes faster than our plans, pushing harder can quietly work against us. The Short Cut challenges the myth that perseverance is always the answer and introduces a smarter, science-backed alternative: flexible goal setting.
Instead of never giving up, Courtney Clark offers a bold reframe. Drawing on rigorous studies and hard-won personal experience, she presents “quitting” as a strategic choice that preserves resources, reduces burnout, and leads to better outcomes.
The book opens with a modern reimagining of The Tortoise and the Hare, asking a timely question for today’s fast-changing world: what happens when staying the course is no longer the winning strategy? From there, readers are guided through a practical framework for stopping with intention: why stubborn persistence can backfire, when it’s time to stop forcing progress, and how to pivot without giving up on what truly matters.
In The Short Cut, you’ll learn how to:
- Recognize when grit becomes a hidden barrier to achievement
- Differentiate between a true goal and a rigid plan
- Redesign goals to stay adaptable as conditions change
- Respond faster to change without losing momentum or morale
If the old rules of success no longer apply, are you ready to choose a smarter way forward?
This is one of those rare books that is courageous enough to push back against conventional wisdom around positivity and grit and tell the real truth about what real growth, grit, and legacy-making look like.
Dr. Bobby Hulme-Lippert
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Courtney Clark is the luckiest unlucky person in the world. After witnessing the terrorist attacks of September 11th from her office just 18 blocks north, she thought she had escaped unscathed. Little did she know the events of 9/11 would cause her to develop cancer just a few years later.
Her experiences caused her to become a recognized change resilience strategist and speaker whose groundbreaking national research studies reveal critical insights into how modern teams face challenges in transition and obstacles.
Courtney teaches growth-minded professionals and teams to overcome resistance by changing their plans to meet their goals—empowering them to build resilience, adapt faster, and achieve more.
Trusted by dozens of Fortune 100 companies including Amazon, Google, and Nike, Courtney delivers practical, data-driven strategies that create lasting transformation. Her expertise and approachable style have earned national media features on CNN, Forbes, and USA Today.
Contact Courtney
If your event needs a motivational speaker and a boost in resilience, contact me below so I can create a customized presentation to help your group adapt faster and achieve more. I look forward to working with you to deliver an unbelievable experience to your group.
Email Courtney
courtney@courtneyclark.com
Call Courtney
512.494.4276