Paul Rogat Loeb has a message for liberal activists: Stop complaining about what President Obama hasn't done, and do something yourself.

"It is not up to a President to lead a social movement. It's up to us," said Loeb, who recently finished updating Soul of a Citizen , his book that aims to inspire activists of all persuasions.

He admires the grassroots nature of the tea parties, even though he disagrees with most everything else about them. As for why conservatives are protesting louder than liberals these days, Loeb said, "There's something clearer and less messy about being in opposition."

Loeb has spent the last four decades campaigning against wars, pushing for stricter environmental laws, and writing about activism.

He reflected on the current political climate and gave Congress.org seven tips for successful organizing:

Persist. Liberal college activists often begin their careers by knocking on doors for U.S. PIRG, a nationwide lobby with far reach. As they face rejection from person after person, they learn a valuable lesson about organizing.

"You have to be prepared to not succeed, not succeed, not succeed, and then something turns," Loeb said.

He faults liberals for giving up on President Obama's health care plan too early in the fight. Last summer, some of his friends said they were giving up hope that Democrats would include a public option or be strong enough to bring about real change in the system.

The bill that passed may not have been as strong as Loeb wanted, but he believes it is a step in the right direction. He thinks activists often forget that change comes incrementally.

"People don't have a long term sense of history," he said.

Take small steps. Loeb purposely called his book "Soul of a Citizen" and not that of an activist because he believes that every member of a society has a responsibility to be civically engaged. But those activities don't have to take up a lot of time.

"You can begin in very, very humble ways," Loeb said, suggesting that people start by writing a letter or making a phone call.

He cited the example of civil rights activist Rosa Parks, who spent 12 years working with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People before the day when she refused to sit in the back of the bus. To him, the most important step she took was to attend her first NAACP meeting.

Loeb does have one caveat for people whose only form of activism is to join a Facebook group: "You do not change a culture from behind a computer."

Don't act alone. The Parks example also debunks "the myth of the lone activist" for Loeb. He noted that there were a group of individuals who worked with her before that solitary action on the bus.

People don't enact change by themselves, Loeb said, arguing that successful grassroots movements "reach out to people and they draw them in."

That's how Loeb believes Democrats were able to elect President Obama in the 2008 election: by swaying people who had not traditionally been involved in the political process.

Reach out to opponents. Movements gain strength through unexpected allies.

In his book, Loeb tells a story about a person from the liberal group MoveOn.org and a member of the conservative Christian Coalition of America   who were friends. As a result of their personal relationship, the Christian group decided to support MoveOn's position on net neutrality.

By working together, they were able to show lawmakers that a broad swath of American society backed the issue.

The climate change issue is an example of a current concern that conservatives and liberals can support. Loeb applauds group like Blue-Green Alliance   that approach it as a matter of jobs, not just environmental responsibility.

Loeb also sees opportunity in tea partyers and liberals' mutual dislike for the bank bailouts.

"Maybe there's a common cause," he said.

Pressure leaders. Loeb is as disappointed in President Obama's moderate approach to governance as the rest of his friends, but he faults activists for not speaking up about their discontent.

"How do you create enough of a political force that [Obama] uses his gift and political force to do the right thing?" he said, adding that grassroots activities remind leaders that the people who elected them are holding them accountable.

Loeb said more liberal activists should have gone to town hall meetings last year, where tea partyers managed to control the public perception about the health care bill.

Immigration overhaul proponents, for example, have mounted great pressure on Democrats to deliver a bill this year. Even if it doesn't happen, the activists have succeeded in getting the attention of President Obama , Senate Majority Harry Reid   (D-Nev.), and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi   (D-Calif.).

"It's always grassroots that lead and politicians that follow," Loeb said.

Don't concede to political limits. Congress is in business of doing what's politically feasible, but activists never should be.

Loeb tells a story about student activists who met with Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) over climate change last year. Even though the senator's staffer agreed with them that it was a pressing issue, he warned that the political reality prevented strong action.

"What does that mean? It means we need a social movement to change the horizon of what's possible," Loeb said.

Be positive. Activists often work on tough and depressing issues, but they shouldn't let that define them.

"Even if the issues are life and death issues and you're sort of grim about them, that's not going to attract people and you're going to burn out," Loeb said.

Ambreen Ali writes for Congress.org.

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