I feel like your question was answered pretty thoroughly in the new video. But i do see another issue in your question.

You say you would learn much more with a reference. But the point of the 50% rule is not to learn to draw. It is to learn how to play and have fun without caring about the end result. This will be hard and uncomfy even said its most likely the most difficult part of any of these lessons. You finding drawing with a reference more enjoyable doesn't matter. You need to get out of your comfort zone and let those drawings go badly. This is a skill that you will have to learn at some point and doing it now while you're still a beginner will help you avoid more frustrations later on.

You can still of course do studies (copying a reference image exactly to learn from it) but know that it falls under the "studying" portion of the 50% rule and NOT the "play" portion.

So what i suggest is you read the "changing your mindset" part of lesson 0 one more time and watch the new video as well. All of the things you're told will not stick in you head the first time so checking them out once in a while is a good idea. Use references (not just one) just to remind you what those things you might want to draw actually look like. Our brains tend to forget. and DON'T be afraid to "waste time drawing badly"

Hope this helps.