Everyone has made some great points already. Here are my two cents.
I can sympathize with your questions and reflections on "if only I had done this. . ." I would say, that if you had carefully selected an art program that was actually good and suited your needs, if you had the time and mindset to work on your studies intensely, and if you had the means to support yourself at the end of your education while trying to jumpstart your art career and keep producing art work to get there without giving up. . .then your chances on getting art assignments may possibly be better today as a result.
The question is, how does what-ifs help you today? How does knowing that you could possibly have a fulltime career in art today, if you had made all the correct choices back in the day, help you at this moment in time?
Here are how my reflections of my past has helped me today.
Reflection: My decisions in the past were based too much on other people's validations and approval, and as a result I tried to take my art in a direction that was not "me".
How does that help me today: Do the kind of art I want to do and know that it's worthy.
Reflection: I could have gotten a lot farther if I had worked harder when I didn't have the responsibilities that come with a family.
How does it help me today: Work hard for my goals, with the little time I have now. Shift priorities so I can have more time for art.
Reflection: If only I knew how to use the internet for my benefit in the past, I could have discovered the drawing fundamentals I needed to make my art better. I would have learned that you need a lot less talent than you think, and you actually need to know what to study and then work hard.
How does it help me today: Use the resources the internet has to help me improve. Work on my fundamentals now, and my work will progress.
So anyway I'd encourage you to use your past to help you now, and not just to dwell on what could have been. What you can learn in knowing your career in art could possibly be better if you went to school, is for you to answer as I don't know your life or your situation enough to help you find those answers.
I wish you the best of luck.