How different is idealism from empiricism?

Think of it this way:

An Idealist says, “I believe in what should be.”

An Empiricist says, “I believe in what I can see and test.”

One lives in the power of vision, the other in the power of evidence.

But in real life, neither works alone.

If you’re only an idealist, you may dream endlessly but never ground your dreams.
If you’re only an empiricist, you may analyse endlessly but never dare to dream.

Imagine an entrepreneur starting a company. The spark comes from idealism, a bold idea, a vision of what doesn’t exist yet. But vision alone won’t get customers. That’s where empiricism steps in, market testing, feedback, refining the product. Without vision, you build nothing new. Without testing, you risk building castles in the air.

Here’s how I see it: