When 17-year-old Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, sat in front of a simple camera in October 2015 to record a message to his future self, he had just 8,000 subscribers and a head full of dreams. He called the video “Hi Me In 10 Years” and scheduled it to unlock exactly a decade later. On October 4, 2025, that moment arrived, and the internet hasn’t stopped talking about it since.
The short video, which quickly shot to the top of YouTube’s trending list, is more than just a nostalgic look back. It’s a time capsule of youthful ambition, a raw, genuine glimpse into the mind of a teenager hoping his dream of becoming a YouTuber would come true.
“If I don’t have a million subscribers when you see this, my entire life has been a failure,” a young Jimmy laughs nervously into the camera. He even wonders aloud if he’ll still be doing YouTube or “even be alive in 2025.” The clip feels innocent, hopeful, and deeply human, the kind of honesty that’s hard to find in today’s hyper-polished internet world.
Fast forward to 2025, and the numbers tell a story no one could have predicted. Jimmy Donaldson is now the most followed individual creator in YouTube’s history, with over 443 million subscribers, nearly 100 billion views, and a net worth exceeding $1 billion.
From filming quirky challenge videos in his bedroom to running one of the biggest digital empires on Earth, MrBeast has become both a pop-culture symbol and a business visionary.
When the video finally dropped, fans, fellow creators, and media outlets flooded social platforms with reactions. Many called it “the internet’s most emotional moment,” while others said it felt like “watching a dream grow up.”
Across social media, viewers shared memes comparing his old and new subscriber counts, laughed at his teenage humour, and expressed gratitude for the inspiration he’s provided over the years.
What stands out most about the video is its simplicity. There’s no fancy production, no viral challenge, no million-dollar giveaway, just a teenager talking to his future self, uncertain but full of hope. It’s this vulnerability that struck a chord worldwide.
For millions of fans, especially young creators, “Hi Me In 10 Years” became a symbol of how far passion and consistency can take you, no matter how small you start.
MrBeast’s journey after 2015 has become an internet legend. His first major viral hit came in 2017, when he uploaded the now-famous “counting to 100,000” video, a strange but hypnotic experiment that redefined YouTube’s potential for endurance content.
From there, he transformed the platform with massive stunts, record-breaking giveaways, and groundbreaking philanthropy, donating millions, planting trees, cleaning oceans, and helping people in need across continents.
Today, MrBeast represents more than entertainment; he’s a blueprint for the future of digital storytelling and kindness at scale. His empire has proven that content creation can be both profitable and meaningful, that success doesn’t have to come at the expense of empathy.
The release of “Hi Me In 10 Years” is more than just a viral moment; it’s a full-circle story. It captures what it feels like to be young, uncertain, and wildly ambitious, and how those quiet beginnings can lead to extraordinary realities.
For viewers, it’s a reminder that the internet’s biggest phenomena often start in the smallest rooms, with one person daring to dream big enough to record a message for tomorrow.
As the video continues to spread, one line from that 2015 clip echoes louder than ever: “If I don’t have a million subscribers when you see this, my entire life has been a failure.”
Ten years later, that same boy from North Carolina not only reached his goal, but he changed the very definition of what it means to be a creator.
