/ic/ - Artwork/Critique

I have a question regarding style and simplifying things. I post in this thread regularly and have a problem. I want to draw like pic posted (so, animu, strongly stylized and elongated) and while I do want that, I always skipped fundamentals because I thought they're silly and I already knew them (I didn't). Now it's come to bite me in the ass because it's luck when something looks right. Problem is, I feel like whenever I practice things, especially from reference, I deviate so much from my goal, that it just looks unappealing to me. Everything looks fat and stiff and wonky. And when I go back to stylization I fail to draw with proper anatomy.
Im scared that if I finally after 8 years of bullshitting learn fundamentals and/of anatomy, I'll be unable to ever draw like this and end up drawing in a way I find utterly unappealing. I know that style is based on fundamentals, but I have trouble combining them and fear unlearning style. (I haven't really reached my goal style either though. But it's getting there.)
Is this a reasonable concern and common problem, and if yes, what would you suggest I do? The mere thought of hating my stuff even more and feeling even less joy got me anxious.