{{Short description|American motivational speaker}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2022}} {{Infobox person | name = Robert Ringer | birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1938}} | birth_place = | occupation = Author | known_for = | notable_works = ''Winning Through Intimidation'', ''Looking Out for #1'', ''Restoring the American Dream'' | movement = Objectivism, libertarianism }} '''Robert J. Ringer''' (born 1938)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.worldcat.org/identities/lccn-no2014054574/ |title=Ringer, Robert J. 1938- |publisher=WorldCat |accessdate=April 20, 2016}}</ref> is an American entrepreneur, motivational and political speaker, and author of several best-selling personal-development and political books.
== Career == His first book, ''Winning Through Intimidation'', was published in 1973. After the manuscript racked up 23 rejections from publishers,<ref>{{cite news |title=To the Victims of 1977, Robert Ringer Whispers a New Mantra: Look Out for No. 1 |first=Robert |last=Ringer |work=People |date=December 26, 1977 |volume=8 |issue=26}}</ref> Ringer decided to self-publish the book. It became a #1 bestseller, spending 36 weeks at the top of ''The New York Times'' Best Seller list.<ref>{{cite news |title=Winning... |first=Terry Johnson |last=King |work=The Miami News |date=June 3, 1976 |page=13A |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=b60yAAAAIBAJ&pg=5074,959776 |accessdate=August 4, 2011 }}{{Dead link|date=February 2026 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}</ref> In 2002, Ringer revised and updated it and republished it with a new title: ''To Be or Not to Be Intimidated?: That is the Question''. He says that the change was made to clarify his aim in the books—not to turn people into intimidators, but to give them the tools to keep others from intimidating them.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ncc-1776.org/tle2004/tle294-20041024-05.html |title=LFB's Exclusive Interview with Robert J. Ringer |first=David M. |last=Brown |date=2004 |access-date=June 3, 2021}}</ref>
Ringer also self-published his second book, ''Looking Out for #1'', in 1977, which also became a ''New York Times'' #1 bestseller. Some of its recurring themes are action based on rational thought, conceding and in fact adhering to the inherent objective human nature of self-interest, and avoiding irrational people (which he called neurotics or "weeds").
Ringer's first political/ideological work, ''Restoring the American Dream'', reached #3 on ''The New York Times'' Bestseller List in 1979. It was revised, updated and republished in 2010. Its premise is that liberty must be given a higher priority than all other objectives and that a ''laissez-faire'' free market is the clear solution to America's economic troubles.
Ringer established Stratford Press to publish and re-release books by other authors. Its title includes ''Crisis Investing'' by Douglas R. Casey, ''The Alpha Strategy'' by John A. Pugsley, and ''Nice Girls Do'' by Irene Kassorla.<ref>{{cite news |first=Edwin |last=McDowell |title=Behind the Best Sellers: Robert J. Ringer |work=The New York Times Book Review |date=August 2, 1981 |page=30 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/08/02/books/behind-the-best-sellers-robert-j-ringer.html}}</ref> Ringer's books were distributed by Thomas Y. Crowell/Harper & Row.
Ringer has appeared on ''The Tonight Show'', ''Today'', ''The Dennis Miller Show'', ''Good Morning America'', ABC News ''Nightline'', and ''The Charlie Rose Show'', Fox News, and Fox Business. He has been the subject of feature articles in such publications as ''Time'', ''People'', ''The Wall Street Journal'', ''Fortune'', ''Barron's'' and ''The New York Times''.
== Books == * {{cite book |title=Winning Through Intimidation |year=1973 |isbn=0-449-20786-2 |last1=Ringer |first1=Robert J. |publisher=Ballantine Books }} * {{cite book |title=Looking Out for #1 |year=1978 |isbn=0-449-21010-3 |url=https://archive.org/details/lookingoutfor100robe |last1=Ringer |first1=Robert J. |publisher=Fawcett Crest }} * {{cite book |title=Restoring the American Dream |year=1979 |isbn=0-449-24314-1 |url=https://archive.org/details/restoringamerica00ring |last1=Ringer |first1=Robert J. |publisher=Fawcett Crest }} * {{cite book |title=How You Can Find Happiness During the Collapse of Western Civilization |year=1983 |isbn=0-06-859606-5 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/howyoucanfindhap0000ring |last1=Ringer |first1=Robert J. }} * {{cite book |title=Million Dollar Habits |year=1990 |isbn=0-449-21878-3 |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780449218785 |last1=Ringer |first1=Robert J. |publisher=Random House Publishing }} * {{cite book |title=Getting What You Want: The 7 Principles of Rational Living |year=2000 |isbn=0-399-14686-5 |url=https://archive.org/details/gettingwhatyouwa00ring |last1=Ringer |first1=Robert J. |publisher=G.P. Putnam's Sons }} * {{cite book |title=To Be or Not to Be Intimidated?: That is the Question |year=2002 |isbn=1-59077-035-8 |last1=Ringer |first1=Robert |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield }} * {{cite book |title=Action!: Nothing Happens Until Something Moves |year=2004 |isbn=978-1-5907-7058-0 }} * {{cite book |title=The Entrepreneur: The Way Back for the U.S. Economy |year=2012 |isbn=978-1-4516-2910-1 }}
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == *{{Official website|https://robertringer.com/}} *{{YouTube|g31hTLowpjI|Interview}} *[http://www.harrywalker.com/bios/Ringer_Robert.pdf Bio from his speaking agent]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ringer, Robert J.}} Category:1938 births Category:Living people Category:American marketing people Category:American motivational speakers Category:American motivational writers Category:American political writers Category:American male non-fiction writers Category:American self-help writers Category:Objectivists