I think you are putting a lot of pressure on yourself to summit, and that can, at some point, be counterproductive (being goal driven is great, but only up to a point). It will happen, and maybe this time, if everything works out. There are a lot of variables, some of which you can entirely control (fitness, what you eat and drink), and some of which you cannot (weather, viruses, sleep quality). A trip up Whitney is rich with experiences -- scenery, meeting other people, learning what your body can do, all of which can rightly be enjoyed and savored.
Of course, there are things you can do to maximize your chances.
You might want to share your equipment list with folks here. You may obtain advice on how to lighten your load, or on essentials that may make the trip easier.
Your acclimatization plan is, as you know, a little lean. IN my trips, I have always overnighted at altitude prior to entering the Whitney area. This year, for example, I did two days of sleeping and hiking near and above 10,000 before I even set foot on Whitney (Little Lakes Valley), and then I hiked up to and slept at Trail Camp before going for the summit. Last year, my acclimatization plan was shorter, but I still had two nights at 9,600 feet (Onion Valley), and a night at 12,000 (Trail Camp), before I went for the summit. Is this much required? Probably not, depends on the person. And yet, these hikes were just as enjoyable as Whitney, and certainly increased our chances of a successful summit.
