Cortex Podcast
Two independent content creators, a YouTuber and a podcaster, discuss the meta-work of their professional lives, from productivity to new projects.
A meta-commentary on the life of a professional creator. The show's main format is a conversation between hosts Myke Hurley and CGP Grey about managing their projects, wrestling with productivity tools, and making business decisions. A secondary format, more common recently, features Myke conducting deep-dive interviews with other creators, journalists, and tech CEOs about their specific workflows and career paths.
“The show's core appeal is the contrast between its two hosts: CGP Grey's highly analytical, system-driven approach versus Myke Hurley's more iterative and community-focused style. This dynamic, combined with their public commitment to annual 'Yearly Themes' to guide their work, provides a long-term narrative of creative and professional development.”
Who hosts this show
Cortex is a discussion between two independent content creators, educational YouTuber CGP Grey and podcast network co-founder Myke Hurley. Each episode, they discuss the processes and challenges of their working lives, covering topics like productivity systems, technology choices, and new business ventures. The show is part of the Relay FM podcast network, which Myke Hurley co-founded. While the primary format is a two-person dialogue, recent episodes have featured Myke Hurley conducting in-depth interviews with other creators while CGP Grey is on a break.
Credentials & credits
- Myke Hurley: Co-founder of the Relay FM podcast network.
- CGP Grey: Educational YouTuber with over 7 million subscribers.
- CGP Grey: Former physics teacher.
- CGP Grey: Degree in physics and sociology.
Other ventures
- Myke Hurley: Relay FM (podcast network).
- Myke Hurley: The Pen Addict (podcast).
- Myke Hurley: Connected (podcast).
- Myke Hurley: Upgrade (podcast).
- CGP Grey: CGP Grey (YouTube channel).
- CGP Grey: Hello Internet (podcast).
When new episodes drop
- 01From Instagram Poems to a Bestselling Book, with Loryn BrantzJun 22, 2026 · 1h 26m
- 02The Philosophy of Obsidian, with CEO Steph AngoMay 25, 2026 · 1h 12m
- 03The Process of Investigative Reporting, With Jason SchreierApr 27, 2026 · 1h 01m
- 04How Major Life Changes Reshape Creative Workflows, With Quinn NelsonMar 23, 2026 · 1h 14m
- 05Going From a Newsroom to Being Independent, With Becca FarsaceFeb 16, 2026 · 55 min
- 06Technology Connections – State of the WorkflowJan 15, 2026 · 1h 04m
- 07Myke's 2026 Yearly ThemeJan 7, 2026 · 17 min
- 08Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) – State of the WorkflowDec 12, 2025 · 1h 21m
Notable episodes
- 01Myke's 2026 Yearly Theme
Demonstrates the show's signature 'Yearly Theme' concept and explicitly addresses co-host CGP Grey's absence, explaining the temporary format shift.
- 02The Philosophy of Obsidian, with CEO Steph Ango
A prime example of the 'State of the Workflow' interview format, dissecting the tools and philosophy of a major figure in the productivity space.
- 03The Process of Investigative Reporting, With Jason Schreier
Showcases how the host adapts the workflow interview format to a non-creator guest, focusing on the processes of journalism and source management.
What you'll be asked on this show
Myke Hurley, the host in all evidence provided, begins each interview with a detailed introduction summarizing the guest's career and stating his explicit goals for the conversation. He often opens with a recurring, low-stakes question about a favorite app or most important work device to ease into the discussion. His questioning follows a logical path, starting with the guest's origin story and career transitions before moving to the granular details of their daily process, tools, and craft. Follow-up questions are built directly from the guest's previous answers, creating a natural narrative flow focused on deconstructing their professional life.
The primary format is a two-host conversation, though co-host CGP Grey is on an extended break. In his absence, Myke Hurley hosts a recurring interview series called 'State of the Workflow,' where he dissects the professional habits of a single guest. These interview episodes begin with a well-researched introduction outlining the host's goals for the conversation.
Questions the host keeps coming back to
12 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when the host reaches for it.
process
4- Q.01
“What is the most important device or favorite app you use for your work?”
This is a signature opening question for the 'State of the Workflow' series, used to immediately ground the conversation in tangible tools.
- Q.02
“How do you capture information, manage tasks, or organize your ideas?”
A core process question to uncover the guest's specific productivity systems and tools.
- Q.03
“Why do you choose a physical tool [like a recorder] over a digital app?”
This probes the philosophy and rationale behind a guest's specific tool choices, especially analog ones.
- Q.04
“How do you manage the balance between reactive, daily work and long-term projects?”
Focuses on the strategic and time-management challenges in the guest's work life.
origin
3- Q.01
“How would you describe what you do to someone unfamiliar with your work?”
Asked early on to establish the guest's professional identity and the core of their work.
- Q.02
“What drew you to this specific field or career path?”
This question explores the guest's origin story and initial motivations.
- Q.03
“What was the inspiration or encouragement behind starting your independent work?”
Seeks to understand the catalyst for a guest's move toward independent creation.
personal
2- Q.01
“What was the path that led you from your previous role to what you do now?”
Used to understand key career transitions and the decisions behind them.
- Q.02
“How did creating a popular work for a corporation feel?”
Probes the emotional and professional dynamics of creating intellectual property for another company.
craft
2- Q.01
“How do you decide when something should be a linked note versus just text?”
A granular question that digs into the specific decision-making rules within a guest's workflow.
- Q.02
“How do you build trust with sources or collaborators?”
This question explores the interpersonal skills and craft involved in the guest's profession.
mindset
1- Q.01
“Did you expect your project to become a major success?”
This question explores the guest's mindset and expectations surrounding their achievements.
Signature segments
- · Yearly Themes
- · State of the Workflow
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
Guests are typically established creators (YouTubers, authors, journalists) or technology executives (CEOs of apps like Obsidian) who are invited to provide a granular breakdown of their professional workflows, tools, and career histories.
- Loryn Brantzon From Instagram Poems to a Bestselling Book, with Loryn Brantz
- Steph Angoon The Philosophy of Obsidian, with CEO Steph Ango
- Jason Schreieron The Process of Investigative Reporting, With Jason Schreier
- Quinn Nelsonon How Major Life Changes Reshape Creative Workflows, With Quinn Nelson
- Becca Farsaceon Going From a Newsroom to Being Independent, With Becca Farsace
- Marques Brownlee (MKBHD)on Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) – State of the Workflow
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
The show is part of the professional Relay FM network and features standard host-read ads for sponsors like Fitbod. The hosts also co-founded and promote Cortex Brand, which sells their own products like the 'Theme System Journal'.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
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People also ask
- Who are the hosts of Cortex?
- The hosts are Myke Hurley, co-founder of the Relay FM podcast network, and CGP Grey, an educational YouTuber.
- Is the podcast still running?
- Yes, it releases episodes monthly. However, co-host CGP Grey is currently on an extended break, so recent episodes are hosted solely by Myke Hurley.
- What is the show's format?
- The primary format is a conversation between Myke and Grey about their work lives. Recently, the format has shifted to Myke Hurley interviewing guests about their professional workflows.
- Where can I listen to Cortex?
- The podcast is available on major podcast platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and the episodes are also uploaded to the Cortex YouTube channel.
- What is a 'Yearly Theme'?
- A signature concept of the show where each host chooses a word or phrase to guide their decisions and focus for the upcoming year. They reflect on past themes and set new ones in annual episodes.
- What is Relay FM?
- Relay FM is an independent podcast network co-founded by host Myke Hurley and Stephen Hackett in 2014, focusing on technology, creativity, and productivity.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
- [01]Cortex on Relay FMrelay.fm
- [02]Cortex Podcast - YouTubeyoutube.com
- [03]CGP Grey - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- [04]Myke Hurley - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- [05]Relay (podcast network) - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
- [06]About - Myke Hurleymykehurley.com
- [07]Cortex - Apple Podcastspodcasts.apple.com
- [08]Podcaster Spotlight: Myke Hurley - The Boartheboar.org
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